J'N'C Magazine 1/2018

No 71 /1-2018

JEANSWEAR & CONTEMPORARY FASHION

the Future oF retail

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No 71 / 1-2018

brave new world

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editorial

j'n'c t o p i c s

the future of retail digital dawn fashion: denim and streetwear at its best

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a turning point on the global markets: progressing at breakneck speed, the digital revolution is confronting fashion retailers with completely new challenges. many of them already have a plan of action under their belts, while others are still hesitating and therefore running the risk of missing out. technology, after all, offers countless practical innovations that the permanently wellinformed, mobile consumer won’t want to forgo in the future. for our lead article, and in a series of interviews, J’n’c speaks with a number of industry experts to discuss how retailers can and should react to all of this, what brilliant innovations the digital future has in store, and why the transformation should be seen as an opportunity. pluS: form meets function: our most wanted outdoor pieces for aw18 – Street styles: the exciting interplay between runway trends and avantgarde looks currently hitting the streets – fresh faces: up-and-coming models present contemporary fashion – Bikini Berlin: the concept mall is showing us what shopping will look like in the future – “on the run”: laid-back looks modelled on a scooter whizz around the pulsating metropolis of Bangkok. last but not least: we talk to tokio hotel frontman Bill kaulitz about the launch of his merchandise collection. we hope you enjoy reading this issue. have a fantastic start to the new year.

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thorsten osterberger

contributors

alexander huber max von treu stylist / photographer

alexander Huber has styled stars such as Pamela anderson, tommy Hilfiger and Daryl Hannah. With his buddy max von treu he cast up-and-coming models for J’n’c and created looks that combine the latest sportswear with high fashion.

cheryll mühlen

editor-in-chief, j’n’c news

as an all-rounder concerning all things J’n’c, cheryll mühlen has the ultimate insight into developments in the fashion business. for this issue, she talks with a whole host of experts to give us an overview of what the future of fashion retail holds.

heiko laschitzki

photographer & producer

Whether he is being commissioned for portraits by Die Zeit, Der spiegel or stern, this jack-of-all-trades loves taking on new challenges. Vibrant and exciting: for J’n’c, he travelled to bangkok, touring the city with two spontaneously cast models.

L’HIVER, LA MAISON, LE BIEN-ÊTRE. Made in Spain

Visit Espadrij l’originale® at Panorama Berlin, 16. - 18.01.2018, Hall 4, Booth 4.30 Espadrij l’originale, Fichtenstraße 70, 40233 Düsseldorf ad@espadrij.com, +49 (0) 211-30212626, www.espadrij.com, facebook.com/espadrij, instagram.com/espadrij

contents 8

eDItorIal

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Bits & Pieces: neWs on Jack & Jones, mUstanG, blaUer & co.

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34

40

Denim x streetwear, 54

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new kids on the block, 92

essay: the future of retail interviews: 11 exPerts on tHe fUtUre of retaIl

fashion shoot: denim x streetwear

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essay: tHe DaWn of tHe DIGItal fUtUre

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Bikini Berlin: a feast for all senses

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DeniM insPirations: oVersIze, Decor, mIx & matcH

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92

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the future of retail, 34

most wanted

fashion shoot: one night in bangkok fashion shoot: new kids on the block 10 Questions: fasHIon talk WItH bIll kaUlItz, tokIo Hotel

cover Photography: suzana Holtgrave styling: konstantinos Gkoumpetis model: Gustav @ themodelGene

publisher ePP Professional Publishing Group GmbH liesegangstraße 16 40211 Düsseldorf Germany

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tel. +49 (0)211.830 30 fax +49 (0)211.830 32 00 info@jnc-net.de www.jnc-net.de

editorial department chausseestraße 116 10115 berlin Germany editor-in-chief thorsten osterberger t.osterberger@jnc-net.de art director Ivo Wojcik

publishing management nikola köster

chief subeditor cloat Gerold

associate publisher Pierre D’aveta

editor cheryll mühlen

editing assistant nils Jürgens contributors Jean-noël teschauer, Dr regina Henkel photography attila Hartwig, suzana Holtgrave, Heiko laschitzki, max von treu translation Galina Green, Paula Hedley www.trendtranslations.de

advertising director Pierre D’aveta tel. +49 (0)211.830 31 51 p.daveta@jnc-net.de copy editors cloat Gerold, Hilke Hanke, Jane nye logotype design martin steinigen/chewing the sun

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g-lab.com supreme weatherwear

@ t : + 4 9 17 3 2779645

bits & pieces

bits pieces text Jean-noĂŤl teschauer

smart blue

dresp the young berlin label has been designing sport couture since 2015 and combines elegant design with functionality: minimalist tailoring, sports references and ďŹ gure-hugging silhouettes create a hybrid of sportiness and femininity with the help of cut-outs and individual colour accents. the result is athletic lingerie that, of course, looks fabulous on the yoga mat, but is also elegant enough to be worn in the evening. all garments are made in Portugal under fair working conditions and can be made to measure. dresp.com

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jackjones.com

swiss purism

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Femme on track

jack & jones since it was founded in 1990, the Danish label has embraced its love for denim. Jeanswear has always been part of the core business while the focus today is also on innovative manufacturing processes and designs. six sub-brands in the corporate portfolio cover everything from youthful lightness to timeless classics. the sub-segment Jeans Intelligence wants to reinterpret jeans fashion and make it more affordable: tried-and-tested designs combined with the latest technology.

selected femme the name of the Danish label stands for simple elegance, rooted in scandinavian aesthetics. elements of the present and the past are the main inspirations

for all of the designs that mix classic styles with the latest trends. the cuts are straight forward and cool — minimalist yet feminine. the colour violet, large abstract prints as well as graphic and camo-like patterns dominate the aW18 collection. the result is modern, idiosyncratic styles with an international touch that is timeless, but spiced up with a whole host of bold, eye-catching details. selected.com

steady reinvention

deFining new elegance

cecilie copenhagen the combination of two scarves once determined the characteristic print that creative directrice cecilie Jørgensen reinterprets every season. alongside shorts, printed crew-neck and V-neck tops are also signature pieces of the Danish label. brilliant colours and unique pattern combinations are at the fore. the overall ethos: elegant fashion that is uncomplicated to wear with a constant quest to surprise and innovate — even going against the zeitgeist. copenhagen is the label’s home base, but the focus is still very much on a global audience. ceciliecopenhagen.com

studio-mason.com

sock it t0 me! burlington saturday night fever: the new aW18 socks collection by the traditional German legwear label is perfect for party nights. bold patterns and colour combinations are sure to turn heads on the dancefloor. the classic burlington argyles,

with a new twist in bright neon colours, are a clear reference to the disco era of the late 70s and early 80s. Glow-in-the-dark fancy yarns add retro clubbing vibes to dancing feet. Have a good time — and let the disco fever take over!

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studio mason When it comes to style, the swiss jewellery label isn’t afraid to break the rules. edition 4, the current collection by design duo sarah maurer and Phillip Junker, is unisex: in addition to armoured bracelets and necklaces, earrings finished with natural pearls round off the product range. Purism and reduction function as basic principles. each item is unobtrusive and yet manages to be subtle and eye-catching. Prototypes are designed in their zurich studio and then the lustrous pieces are crafted by a German family-run manufacturer under fair conditions.

burlington.de

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velvet waves

bits & pieces

chiemsee When martin and christof Imdahl discovered the first windsurfer on bavaria's chiemsee lake in 1976, they quickly adopted the then-new sport themselves — and founded a windsurfing school soon afterwards. When their students asked about beachwear, the entrepreneurs opened a shop selling self-printed t-shirts and watersport accessories. new for aW18: hybrid blends, functional finishes and trendy fabrics like velvet are the key elements of the women's range special athleisure Wear. more important than ever, sustainability is also playing a significant role. chiemsee.com

high times mustang the traditional German jeans label insists on a denim philosophy that is based on naturalness and originality. fits are becoming looser in winter 2018 and trousers tend to be high-waisted. key pieces are straight, wide cropped denims and two-tone models. cozy 100% cotton jeans and elaborate washes complete the modern look and feel. the cuts are voluminous and, together with the layering trend, create a very relaxed silhouette. elements borrowed from grunge fashion make the retro 90s look perfect. mustang-jeans.com

walking icons dr martens steampunk versus post-punk: known for their unbreakable and very comfortable footwear, the british brand is bringing two very different icons of art and pop culture to cult shoe 1460 — Victorian artist richard Dadd from kent and mancunian post-punk band Joy Division. the distinctive pulsar waves from the cover of Joy Division's debut album “Unknown Pleasures” are embossed on black smooth leather; an impression of “the fairy feller's master-stroke”, the most famous work by english artist Dadd, which is currently exhibited in the tate britain, is emblazoned on suede as a print.

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drmartens.com

high perFormance blauer the Us cult brand blauer, which has been synonymous with down jackets since 1936, has recently become more futuristic, not only in terms of its design but also its values. for the first time ever, in addition to conventional down filling, you can also opt for recycled sustans, an ecological and synthetic down.

Produced in the eU, renewed and recycled in Italy, the highest quality standard is guaranteed; advanced technology allows best breathability and thermal insulation. the collections are divided into basic and fashion lines and will surprise us in aW18 with matt surfaces and superimposed camouflage prints. bl auer.it

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Zign for the aW18 campaign of the new collection by German footwear label zign, photographer Jonas Unger embarked on an exciting 30-day road trip through the Usa. Under the motto “american short stories” every model and visual stands for a milestone of this journey and contains a crossreference to a famous short story. In one word: storytelling at its best! the collection from the z-labels (zalando) brand features simple lace-ups with velvet lace ribbons, elegant shearling loafers, lace pumps and studded chelsea boots. the colour palette of red, black, brown, metallic silver and snake skin print perfectly underlines the ever-changing mood of this poetic road trip.

Zign.com

high Five cinque the fashion brand cinque stands for a casual look that embodies the Italian lifestyle. the men’s collection for aW18 is titled “a collection with many faces”; six sublines deliver a great variety of looks. our favourites are the outfits that go under the guise of “retro rebellion” and “street chic” that are all about the courage of mixing it up: for example, classic pleated trousers are combined with a plaid

vest and a sporty velvet blazer, and distinctive wool pants go surprisingly well with a cool Glen plaid bomber jacket or a blue and orange colour blocking sweater. cinque.de

be nocturnal

bits & pieces

tell me!

msgm With psychedelic prints and fluorescent colours, massimo Giorgetti has been creating modern collections since 2009. He has since remained true to his fresh, cool look, which is also wowing his steadily growing fan base. now the designer is launching his first capsule collection: seasonally independent and reduced to 17 pieces, blouses, skirts and dresses dominate in vibrant colours such as yellow, red and pink. Playful prints of eyes and lips complete the evening looks. our favourite piece is the jumpsuit in a repeat print with trademark msGm ruffles. msgm.it

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essentials aer scents the handmade, natural fragrances by small berlin manufactory aer scents are 100% vegan and made without synthetic, preserving ingredients. most of the ingredients are in fact organic and harvested traditionally and sustainably by small producers. for the sales presentation, the founders — creative director ted young-Ing and make-up artist stefan kehl, who developed the essences — created four botanical worlds that are displayed under large glass domes. the distribution of the exhilarating scents is aimed at exclusive concept stores. aerscents.com

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most wanted

J'n'c Presents

eyecatchers it-pieces must-haves favourites

PHotoGraPHy attila hartwig stylInG studio.stadlmann text Jean-noel teschauer

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most wanted

bjornborg.com

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inspired by urban horizons, classic sportswear and the world of tennis, toni marevic, head of design at swedish sportswear label Bjรถrn Borg, creates silhouettes that combine fashionable details and sports expertise. the red tracksuit with white and black accents made it on to our most wanted list, because it is part of a simple, yet urban and clever product line, that mixes fashion with multi-functionality. it skilfully captures the spirit and history of the eponymous tennis legend. eye-catching athleisure wear for the best performance on and off the tennis court. let the games begin!

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topspin

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reebok.de

most wanted

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pump up the Jam

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the pump model of the cult us sneaker brand reebok has been an integral part of its product range since the early 90s. explorers of the urban jungle will applaud its latest feather-light cushioning, which promises high comfort. apart from that, the modernised instapump jury og impresses with its futuristic design: a deep cut in the sole improves ankle support and provides more stability; cubist cut-outs, bright colours, a mix of different materials and a black sock-inlet create a stunning patchwork design. what a silhouette!

Premium Berlin, 16. - 18.01.2012, Hall H3, Booth E01 German contact: Agency ad@ffbymg.com - Distribution ad@panorama-europe.eu

www.pyrenex.com

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most wanted

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most wanted

working class hero

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dickies.com

under the motto “fit for purpose”, cult label Dickies has been producing authentic workwear since 1922; today, it joins the bulk of popular streetwear brands. the narrow-cut cargo pants combine modernity with functionality: enhanced with two large cargo pockets and back pockets with flap, the pants offer plenty of storage space. the extra tear-resistant cotton ripstop guarantees longevity and durability, while an enzyme treatment gives the fabric a softer feel and prevents excessive wrinkling — refined work clothes reloaded.

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most wanted

tommy.com

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racer boy

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the current menswear collection of tommy Hilfiger spin-off label tommy Jeans pays homage to the iconic look of formula 1 pit crews and features classic workwear with a strong focus on denim — bold colours and streamlines are the main inspiration. our editor's choice: a retro denim shirt with contrast stripes along the back and arm sections in blue, white and red — a reference to the dna of the united states and an all american classic for everyone.

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most wanted

most wanted

henryisiegel.com

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hamburg based label H.i.s. celebrates its comeback with new luxury denim line Henry i. siegel. the goal of its collection is to build a bridge between contemporary fashion and premium denim. founded in new york in 1923, the brand’s longstanding experience translates into meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail. clever and functional: our favourite piece, a navy blue parka made of a cotton blend, is endowed with interior straps guaranteeig the very best fit for every body. last but not least we’d like to herald some good news towards a greener future: by 2020, the label wants to succeed in being fully sustainable.

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Fisherman's Friend

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veilance.arcterix.com

most wanted

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keep warm!

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high-performance outerwear from canada’s west coast: arc’teryx Veilance transfers construction techniques, which are mainly used in mountaineering equipment, to its menswear pieces — minimalist aesthetics are combined with technical high-performance. the conduit lt vest is a lightweight down vest made of water- and wind-repellent fabrics. 850 fill grey goose down, nylon and coreloft guarantee optimal thermal insulation. the collar made of merino wool ensures safe wearing comfort. hidden zippered pockets for the hands complete the design. wear it over a sweater or under a jacket for extra warmth.

SEEK . BERLIN REVOLVER . COPENHAGEN DRDENIM.COM

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7

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most wanted

most wanted

pyrenex.com

no mountain high enough

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together with mountaineer louis audoubert, the label Pyrenex developed its ďŹ rst down jacket for extreme weather conditions in the 1970s. this was used on expeditions in the pyrenees and the himalayas. since 2009 a premium range, designed by young design talents, complements the product range. the aw18 collection is characterised by modern cuts and bold colours. our favourite: the oversize down jacket with batwing sleeves, which is a real statement piece. the colour code blue, white and red is a nod to the tricoloure. the french dna of the house thus creates a synergy with modern ways. the result combines the best of all worlds: a colourful, functional lifestyle product with a lot of soul.

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most wanted

onepiece.com

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one on one

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scandinavian nonchalance meets urban trend — this is how leisurewear is created with a modern twist. the norwegian brand onepiece designs, among other things, t-shirts, hoodies, jogging pants — and onesies. the unisex cotton jumpsuit of our choice is clearly inspired by military style. alongside a classic collapsible collar, various pocket attachments and an elastic waistband, colourful eye-catching patches loosen up and rejuvenate this very classic design.

Foto: ©Sebastian Schöffel / KAPPA Deutschland GmbH

future of retail

rise like a phoenix

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text cheryll mĂźhlen

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the future of retail

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Perfect lazybones / alamy stock foto

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future of retail

future of retail

equipping stores with big screens and iPads is not the future of stationary retail. that’s just the latest technology. after losing out to the internet, too many companies believe that it’s the only way to entice their customers back, but the problems actually run deeper than the industry wants to admit. the beginning of the end of the retail trade as we know it, is already well underway. so what needs to be done to defy these apocalyptic prophecies?

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irst of all, we have to take stock. and it’s not looking good. the fact is: while e-commerce is adapting to the constantly changing, challenging and fast-paced fashion retail trade, the decision-makers in bricks-and-mortar stores are still wondering whether they should jump on the digitalisation bandwagon and, very importantly, how they can turn their point of sale into a point of experience. but surely installing tablets in every corner can’t be the solution. after all, before the market changed, the customer changed. In this case the customer is the action and the retail trade a mere reaction. However, bricks-and-mortar retailers have been reacting with considerable delay – almost defiantly one could say – which means that they are now frantically trying to catch up. Just how urgently a reformation of old structures needs to happen is shown by the cut-to-the-chase thesis of “retail prophet” Doug stephens, who is a firm believer that: “If we really want to save retail, we’ve got to let it die.” Which may sound radical at first, but it perfectly conveys the urgency that the industry can no longer hit the snooze button and has to start reinventing itself from scratch.

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stories, not stores

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frank rehme, managing Director of Gmvteam, is making a similar statement: “the retail trade is cooking in the 21st century with recipes from the 20th century.” after all, over the past decades customers have become product specialists, or one could even say professionals. end consumers know what they want and what they can get

out of it. only in this way could they reshape an entire market according to their needs, forcing it to adapt to them. and in the same way that tectonic plate shifts lead to earthquakes and chaos, retail is facing completely unknown challenges in the digital age. customers are networked – according to a study by the German retail federation (HDe), this applies to a whopping 83 percent of German adults. on average, we look at our mobile phones 150 times a day. When we order commodity goods online, it takes around three minutes. and when we head into the city to go shopping, according to the HDe, 48 percent of us already have a specific goal in mind, having already worked out what we want beforehand online. but tobias Viehoff from the Dachmarkenforum offers a word of warning: “the internet makes it possible for people to do their research at home first – and they don’t want to be disappointed when they get to the store. because then the story would have been told way better online than in stores.” and that’s what the future of retail all comes down to: storytelling.

attention as the new currency that is the added value that the end consumer needs to be offered from the outset – one that goes beyond the mere offer of products. Why else would you drive into the city, search for an expensive parking space and jostle your way through crowds of shoppers, if the item you previously picked out online is no longer in stock at the store? and what makes it all so mindboggling: people don’t actually need all of the stuff the fashion

future of retail

usually works offline best. Unfortunately, a lot of brands mistakenly still believe that people want to be digitally networked in stores. but do people really want to be even more networked? or do they want to slow down and ‘log out’ – even if just for the time they spend inside a store?

rules of experience

Perfect lazybones / alamy stock foto

we've got to let it die." retail trade is constantly offering them. an ebay study found that we own 217 unused items worth 3,223 euro lying around in our homes. but why are people such passionate consumers? “because they want to experience something,” says frank rehme in a nutshell. attention is the new currency. today’s buzzword: Pos. but in most cases, ‘point of experience’ is completely misunderstood and incorrectly implemented. after all, what experience actually means is emotion.

Information without emotions is worthless. “I have to be able to fascinate people, surprise them – preferably in a context that they don’t expect in the slightest,” says tobias Viehoff.

the misunderstanding that many companies have, however, is not in terms of the concept of an experience, but, among other things, the wrong story, which often doesn’t suit the brand. after all, for a good experience you can’t simply copy the store next to you. It takes a lot more than that. first and foremost: guts. yes, it takes a lot of courage to tear down everything we have known so far and create something completely new. Is it risky? sure. and nobody likes taking risks in hard times. but “doing nothing is just as bad, if not worse,” warns Josef roosen, of the Dachmarkenforum. “you just have to see it as a work in progress and face the matter head on.”

the experience is the product at the end of the day, the experience isn’t just about a good story, a modern aesthetic or the latest technology. It’s about making companies more sensitive to their specific target customers. It’s about authenticity, style, passion, context, service, benefits and meaning. “shopping alone won’t be enough in the future,” says tobias Viehoff.

“It will become more of a meeting with friends, a fun experience. Perhaps combined with something cultural like a visit to a gallery or a café. several interests will merge. It’s about creating meeting places.” but also about inspiring people. and that

man and machine another link in this chain is the sales assistant. In the future they won’t ‘just’ be selling a product, thoughtlessly putting it through

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"if we really want to save retail,

as the farm founder Jane munro-Hall says: “We want to feel and not always think.” Just how big this need actually is was proven by bread and butter by zalando. When the industry found out about this ‘tradeshow for end consumers’, the market responded with an uproar. applause for the clever, forwardlooking coup was drowned out by an annoyed murmur. but by the second edition of b&b, the sceptics had to admit that the ‘festival of style and culture’ is what people want in the future.

Whether the retail trade wants to believe it or not: the end consumer will be directly connected to the brand, experience it, sense it, understand it, identify with it, and build up memories with it that increases their loyalty. the principle of the new b&b can also be applied to the retail trade. the store of tomorrow is growing beyond its rigid sales function and will become an inspiration hub. It is important to appeal to all senses and create out-of-the-ordinary moments of surprise and personal, individualised experiences.

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the till and handing back the customer a quickly packed bag. they will be a brand ambassador, point of contact and personal style assistant. Voice commerce tools like amazon’s alexa are also heralding a new era. the end consumer can use their voice to make commands and shopping lists or even place orders completely automatically. but this doesn’t make the people on the shop floor superfluous by any means. “the customer is developing into a guest and the sales assistant into a host,” explains Josef roosen. “also, the cash desk as we know it will no longer exist: the sales counter of the future will feel more like a reception desk.” robots, vending machines and chatbots are the technological alternatives of the future retail vision. only recently the french luxury group lVmH decided to offer chatbots on facebook for its louis Vuitton label. “our clients like to be connected to the louis Vuitton universe wherever they are,” is how the brand’s ceo, michael burke, explained this decision to Business of Fashion. companies must, or can, decide between two options. but in both cases, one thing is certain: investments are inescapable. only well-trained staff who can offer an added value and excellent service will have a place on the shop floor and be able to compete with the machines.

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from omnichannel to anychannel

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speaking of the shop floor: there will also be a transformation here. “our customer sometimes buy from our stationary stores and sometimes online. Here today, there tomorrow. at the end of the day, it’s all just retail,” says stefan laban, Global Head of International at Urban outfitters. omnichannel is becoming anychannel. “the integration of multiple sales channels has immense potential, provided one can find the right solutions,” as experience store exp37 summarises on their website. nevertheless, e-commerce will be the number

one on the market for the time being. the online evolution is progressing at breakneck speed. one of the reasons: lots of new companies start their business online right from the outset.

reformation and revolution the offline payment systems also need to become smarter. We have to ask ourselves why you can choose from several payment options in an online shop – invoice, direct debit, advance payment, instant bank transfer, Paypal, credit card or in instalments – but only cash and card payments are possible in bricksand-mortar retail. the trick: to implement online methods in an analogue way. the industry needs to “leave the beaten track and find new paths,” according to bettina rotermund, Head of Global customer experience at the bmW Group. Us sports giant nike showed us how this is done at the end of last year when they announced that out of more than 30,000 retail partners they have chosen just 40 on whom they will be focusing their time, attention and capital in the future. and they’re calling them ‘strategic wholesale part-

ners’. they are willing and able to build out unique and dedicated nike spaces within their store environments. nike’s goal: to create a sense of desire. the antiquated wholesale model has served its time. once a recipe for success for the ubiquitous department and discount stores with mass-produced goods and schematic forms of presentation, it no longer works today. the end consumer is increasingly longing for something new, something special – inflationary offers scare people off. the shockwave triggered by the announcement by nike’s ceo mark Parker, but also by the brands canada Goose, coach and michael kors, who have all implemented similar restructuration plans, shows where things are headed in the future: the reformation of wholesale. the fact that amazon ceo Jeff bezos recently became the richest man in the world is sufficient evidence that wholesale providers can work well in the online sector.

is the end nigh? the future belongs to e-commerce. that much is certain. so, in order for the stationary trade

to be able to keep up, it needs to stop thinking and start taking action. after all, the smart product in a smart setting and smart context will always lead the way in the long run – and online providers are currently way, way ahead of the competitors in this respect. keyword: alexa. this is how online stores are becoming points of experience. and stores are becoming inspiring showrooms with trained staff, who are taking on less of a sales assistant role and acting more like brand ambassadors. stores as we know them will no longer exist in the future. and if you can’t or don’t want to change, you simply won’t survive. so before a new age of retail dawns, we will inevitably be witness to a mass extinction in the retail world – and we will no doubt be asking ourselves how we let things come so far. but ultimately, to quote ralf kleber, country manager of amazon, the only question we should be asking is not why should we do something, but why shouldn’t we do it?

Perfect lazybones / alamy stock foto

future of retail

buying versus shopping: one is a necessity the other should be an adventure

# B L U E ZO N E M U N I C H

B L U E ZO N E M U N I C H / W W W . B L U E ZO N E M U N I C H . C O M

f ounder a nd c eo viu e yewear

InterVIeWs by thorsten osterberger cloat gerold cheryll mühlen

interviews

Kilian wagner

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what is your opinion on whether digital shopping will soon outstrip sales in brick-and-mortar stores?

We believe in the seamless integration of online and offline worlds. Physical stores are places of experience where customers can touch the product and experience the brand. a brand can really stand out in the long term with this kind of direct real-life experience. through online channels, reach and scalability are increased substan-

tially – a very important aspect for the success of a brand. for us, omnichannel retail is not only the starting point of our concept, but also the key to success. how important will it be in the future to be represented across all digital channels?

Visibility and easy availability are of course very important. but at the same time, you have to ensure that you present your goods in the appropriate

environment, showing content in a targeted way and using the channels to their best advantage. not every channel will necessarily work for every brand. the main channel at VIU is our website, shopviu.com, which is our digital brand presence that represents the VIU experience for the outside world. In addition to information about the brand, our products can also be purchased there. We mainly use Instagram for brand building – it’s more about inspiration and

emotions rather than contentdriven posts and campaigns like you’d find on facebook. do you think it’s possible for brands to create a mystique of exclusivity precisely by not going down all digital roads?

When talking about physical stores, a local exclusivity is certainly an advantage. In the digital world, an intentional mirroring of the target group is important – overdoing it with customers inevitably leads to rejection. Doing entirely without the digital channel may work for certain labels from certain segments, but when it comes to our omnichannel concept, it is definitely indispensable.

PHotos: sanDra kennel, samUel trümPy

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as founder of the swiss eyewear label VIU, available online and in over 30 flagshipstores in Germany, austria, switzerland and Denmark, ceo kilian Wagner knows all about omnichannel retail.

interviews

carola strobl-pigozzo

h e a d o f m a r k e t in g & e x pa n s i o n fa s h i o n h o t e l

from the film and music worlds have established themselves in advertising and are contributing to the story. If you manage to incorporate emotional storytelling into your communication, you’ll leave an immediate lasting impression on your target group.

storytelling is a keyword at the pos when presenting products. what do you think? stories awaken emotions and help people to remember products – the ultimate goal of every brand! Influencers and personalities

how can you pull out all the stops to create a stimulating environment and make shopping an experience, or even an adventure?

Innovative concepts like the fashionhotel event are offering a new experience. the

focus is on the unusual location (the shopping takes place in hotel rooms), selected designers and the line-up of accompanying events with workshops, fashion presentations and DJs. live experiences are an integral part of the shopping experience – even if the purchasing actually takes place online. this is why stationary stores will continue to serve a purpose, especially if they offer an experience as well as satisfying a need. are pop-up stores worth the effort? on a typical fashionhotel weekend, several thousand visitors come into direct contact with designers they wouldn’t normally discover. It’s a valuable way to build up brand awareness. If we manage to normalise the idea of pop-up concepts without them losing their innovative character, these kinds of impromptu concepts will pay off and keep people talking about a brand.

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by turning a hotel into a shopping mall, carola strobl-Pigozzo is taking the idea of the pop-up store to another level.

will digital shopping soon outstrip sales in bricks-and-mortar stores? the digital world has become inescapable for all industries. bricks-and-mortar shops often complain about declining sales and put the blame on the online shops. but a more sensible approach would be to combine both worlds with one another.

It’s difficult to influence buying behaviour.

Instead, successful brands should appeal to their customers on all channels with their offer: on and offline! that’s also the aim of fashionhotel: to create live experiences at the event and then to transfer them into the digital world and form loyal communities.

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interviews

marco lanowy

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How to run a good store: “shopping is best, when customers feel like guests”, says marco lanowy of German label alberto.

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will digital shopping outstrip physical stores in the future?

I think we should be speaking about building a connection between the digital and physical instead. I don’t see them outstripping each other, but rather forming a bridge.

We have different segments that need to be differentiated. When talking about products: we don’t want to be a specialist who opens an outlet, but a specialist who opens a concept store. and we did that in mönchengladbach with the question: what

do the customers want to experience in a tangible way and what do they prefer to do digitally?

longer be looking at their iPads, but asking the room: alexa, is this product still available in this size?

and how would you answer this question?

What the customer is essentially looking for today is a consultant. the environment in which the product is shown is also very important. I create a feel-good atmosphere.

We see, for example, that the lighting influences the customers in the store.

what does the optimum shopping experience look like for you? the best shopping experience is when you are welcomed in the store as a friend and don’t feel like a consumer. When you say: “Wow, they were so nice, I’m definitely going back.” and when the service is quiet and unassuming. I’m not a fan of those service emails, “How satisfied were you with...”. because by then it’s too late. for me, service is low-key when you come out of the changing rooms and everything is already prepared for you. I like that. We do that at our store. for example, we hang a pair of trousers in the changing room with a note on them that says, “recommendation of the house”. and then the customers really come to us and say, “can I try those on?”

what is your approach to digitalisation?

We are the first German retailer to introduce alexa. not to actively shop with it, but as a service that creates voice interaction between the customer and our specialists: in that way you can find out about the history of the brand alberto, or request international size conversions. you can build on these skills actively. the next development is that in the future, specialists should no

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pa r t n e r g e n e r a l m a n a g e r a l b e r t o g mb h

30 JAN - 01 FEB 2018 I N T E R N AT I O N A L FA B R I C T R A D E FA I R M U N I C H FA B R I C S TA R T. C O M | # M U N I C H FA B R I C S TA R T

interviews

dr marc schumacher

m a n agin g direc t or l i g a n o va

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will digital shopping soon outstrip sales in physical stores?

I think that discussing which of the two channels will win the race is the wrong approach.

Instead, retailers should align every available channel in a customer-centric way, according to their strengths. We need to stop this “either/or” discussion and finally start saying “and”. the customer motivation behind visiting a bricks-and-mortar store will fundamentally change. the experience and interaction with the brand will be what count

here. but the purchase of necessities, on the other hand, will be increasingly carried out online. there will have to be a differentiation between “shopping” and “buying”. customisation, in-house-tailoring, virtual dressing rooms – how relevant will additional in-store services become in the future?

I’m very curious to see what is in store for us. basically, I think that mass customisation, like the 3D scanners by Us company body labs, mean that the physical store, for the first time in a long time, once again has a technological lead and therefore a clear UsP – at least until everyone has this kind of technology at home. that is the kind of development that we should be keeping a close eye on. I can’t imagine that people will be buying sneakers off the rack in the future. mobile shopping – the smartphone as a shopping tool and innovations like blue-

tooth beacons to build a bridge between physical and digital shopping. what do you think of this two-track system?

I think two-track is the wrong term here.

What you need to succeed is a seamless link between online and offline, and that simply works best by smartphone, which is meanwhile the most intimate object we possess and always carry with us. so in a way, the smartphone is already a game-changer. We just have to find a way to connect it to the physical aspect that makes sense and will allow us to draw benefits from both channels. are pop-up stores worth the effort? yes, I think so. Pop-up is a kind of label that evokes certain associations; I generally see them more as temporary brand contact points. but also for small, lesser-known brands, that kind of temporary store can be a good introduction to the physical contact with the customer.

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When it comes to the battle of online vs. offline, marc schumacher stresses the difference between shopping and buying.

interviews

Jane munro-hall

how important will it be in the future for manufacturers, labels and retailers to be represented on digital channels?

It’s very important to be represented on digital channels, but with the caveat that these need to be chosen carefully. these days it’s more important than ever to know your customer so you aren’t just shooting in the dark and simply hoping that the right message gets across to the right person. Digital platforms allow companies to communicate in a more targeted way with their target groups and also to learn from them. the more you know, the more accurately you can operate and the better you can identify when to use which channels for maximum effect.

fashion and retail managers the farm “nurture the tender fruits” of businesses, and pick an integrated approach to let them thrive. “storytelling” is considered a keyword at the pos. what do you think?

I really believe in the value of storytelling! We want to feel, rather than having to think all the time. If storytelling is used properly, it has the capacity to transport the customers into the brand universe and make them want to buy the product. storytelling allows customers to feel at home with the brand and/or the product more quick-

ly, as they can “see” themselves more quickly with the product.

When operating in an extremely oversaturated market like ours, emotions play a key role. experience: how can physical shopping beat online retail?

I’m a great believer in the three “es”: emotion, experience and environment. but just any old experience isn’t enough. today, even the “best experience ever” isn’t enough in itself. the

whole chain has to be right. you need a perfect chain and not just a perfect link of it. If you can do that, then you’ve really made it... there are quite a few things you have to bear in mind when creating an experience. most importantly, the experience itself has to suit the target group and fit the outcome you’re looking for. you also need to pay attention to communication – if your chosen target group never hears about the event, then all your hard work will have been for nothing. for me, retail is like a beautiful necklace that always looks different, but where each individual link in the chain is structurally identical in its perfection – and experience is just one of the links in the chain.

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interviews

Julia-rosa reis

f ounder k a r m a & ko n f e t t i

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will digital shopping soon outstrip sales in brick-and-mortar stores?

I see the digital market as being at the heart of growth for the future of retail. at karma & konfetti, most of the requests we receive are for digital content that is specifically used online. but we are also seeing that purely digital labels are showing more interest in pop-up stores, in order to increase the experiential aspects of their concept and goods. so physical stores are a long way off dying out. but if they want to remain competitive we advise to have a healthy portion of innovation and daring and to make progress with their digital shopping offer.

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how important will it be in the future for labels and retailers to be represented across all digital channels?

Just like the concept store in a mall or on a shopping street, the digital concept store

With their production concept, the agency for native content helps fashion labels to showcase their designs in exotic destinations. is also a hub for brands online. availability and shortage are two business models that follow different strategies. When talking about the relevance of further developing outdated business models, I like to refer to the quote: “not moving forwards means getting left behind”. the availability of the goods is of course inextricably linked to the sales power of the brand. Digital concept stores can offer the opportunity to use digital distribution channels. and social media

is an excellent opportunity to win over new customers with specific targeting. “storytelling” and “experience” are considered keywords at the pos... karma & konfetti operates under the tagline “Producing adventures”, as purchasing decisions are made based on emotions at Pos – whether in the store or online. the consumer has to have a good feeling about the brand. consumers want brands with foresight, a mission and a clear message. they want more depth and complex dimensionality. the Pos is the ideal place to let them experience the values and vision of a brand. In their communication, brands are increasingly going off the beaten track to strengthen the end consumer’s identification. With road trip for brands™ it is precisely this consumer experience that we are taking as our starting point.

Ready for the future?

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January 28–31, 2018

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For more than 40 years we have grown and perfected our concept, creating the number one network for sports brands to connect with their customers, showcase new products and expand their global business. To further accelerate the global evolution of sports ISPO is introducing an industry-changing new concept that is dedicated to experiencing, learning about and exploring the future of the sports industry. With Digitize by ISPO Academy we enable the sports business for the digital challenges by making the digital transformation tangible.

interviews

stefan laban

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what makes a good brick-andstefan laban knows that suiting the ever mortar store? changing tastes of a young target group a good store has to provide an experience and therefore also concerning a store’s ambience and inspire the customers to find something new and entice them portfolio is hard work that never stops. to come back. If you just do what everyone else is doing these days, you’ll find it difficult to compete. to find people who represent an overview. they are also diour customers in their look, vided into categories: you won’t what does that kind of store language and lifestyle. find someone from the home experience look like? department working in men’s It’s the combination of atmotoday’s end consumer is exclothing the next day. they have sphere and products that the tremely well informed. ironito be cool and interesting, but customer won’t find anywhere cally, a lot of companies seem also understand their trade. else. and hopefully friendly staff to be employing uninformed what’s the best way to retain that are representative of the sales assistants in their stores. customers in the long term? customers. our target group is how do you deal with that?

We combine fashion with art aged between 18 and 25 and want training is very important to to be addressed in a completely and music and organise in-store us. of course nobody can know different way. no one wants to every detail about every single events. It’s extremely important to build up a local connection. hear: “may I help you?” We try item, but the staff should have

the last thing you want is for people to think “oh, here's a Us company that doesn’t have a clue about what’s happening in Vienna", for example. these days a lot of people are referring to the “experience”, but it’s just as important that the ambience is right, and that people say they like the store, feel at ease and that they want to return. Ideally, not just the product portfolio should change, but also the store itself. Without sounding negative, the target group of 18 to 25-year-olds is not in the slightest bit loyal – 40-year-old customers have their regular store that they keep going back to, but staying on trend with the younger target group and suiting their tastes is really hard work.

interviews

astrid heinze

gener al m an ager onyg o

will digital shopping soon outstrip sales in brick-and-mortar stores? even if online retail seems to be getting stronger and stronger and at least feels like it’s currently growing exponentially, in my opinion there is still justification for brickand-mortar retail. stationary retail won’t be superfluous in the future, but will continue to maintain its relevance. beyond that, it might even become stronger if it continues to develop as customers at real stores are more likely to immerse themselves in a shopping experience than a mere online purchase. the restructuring phase in brickand-mortar retail has already begun.

still slowly for now, but this development will gradually grow. how important will it be in the future for retailers to be represented across all digital channels? no retailer, no label or manufacturer can afford not to be represented on digital channels these days. the decision of how and where they make the purchase should be totally left to the customer. the big online platforms like amazon, zalando and the chinese provider alibaba, which is increasingly penetrating the european market, are making progress that barely any average

retailer can keep up with. In my opinion, marketplaces are the online business of the future. how can you pull out all the stops to create a stimulating environment and make shopping an experience, or even an adventure? how do you see the future of the pos in general? at onygo we are dedicated to creating a shopping experience for all the senses. the product needs to be presented in a setting that is extremely appealing to our target customer. the product placement is paramount, not to mention details like a specially compiled playlist and our very own room fragrance. Perfectly coordinated shopfitting also adds to the overall impression. each individual element feels subtle, but the customer still notices it. the feedback from our customers has been overwhelming.

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special room fragrance, a curated playlist and subtle product placement: Women's shoe chain onygo creates a shopping experience for all senses.

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interviews

nicolay merKt

m an agin g direc t or fa s h i o n i d g m b h & c o. kg

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nicolay merkt, responsible for the digital shopping world of German retailer Peek & cloppenburg, Düsseldorf, believes in an omnichannel world, that makes customers happy at any rate.

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will digital shopping soon outstrip sales in brick-and-mortar stores?

I can’t see online shopping generating a higher turnover than the stationary trade over the next few years. especially when it comes to food retailers, as well as in the context of fashion retail, there will always

be a substantial demand to fulfil immediate shopping needs, as well as for inspirational shopping. even logistical innovations like “same-day delivery” won’t be able to change these facts, mainly due to lack of availability of these services in Germany.

Plus, shopping is an important part of our culture and, for many people, it’s a significant part of their leisure time. this can hardly be replaced by online shopping’s rather limited potential in terms of communal experience and communication.

Keyword “availability”: how important will it be in the future for retailers to be represented across all digital channels? the customers themselves choose their customer journey through the preferred distribution channel. as one of the leading omnichannel fashion retailers in Germany, we try to offer our customers as many ac-

cess points as possible. customers can buy our products directly from our department stores or online at peek-cloppenburg.de, as well as ordering on our telephone hotline. both online as well as offline, we see ourselves as a platform that provides over 300 brands with space to showcase their goods. “storytelling” or "experience" are considered keywords at the pos. what do you think? the element of storytelling is gaining in importance, especially in the case of inspirational shopping. customers want to be inspired and entertained. storytelling and experience are ways to fulfil those expectations. the aim is to emphasise the leisure activity aspect of shopping and to develop the Pos. Hardly any customer really needs a new sweater. the art is to create a context in which they still buy one and are happy about it.

interviews

Josef roosen & tobias viehoff

hosts d a c h m a r k e n f o ru m

how do you personally see the threat of online retail?

Josef roosen: there’s no getting around it. but you also have to make an effort to stand out. both online and offline shops have to invest time and effort in social media and service. If

the hosts of German Dachmarkenforum provide a platform for discussions and solutions for retailers and manufacturers and focus on customer experience Design. you’re coming from an offline background and taking the omnichannel route, it’s the retailer’s job to come across as stylish, passionate and authentic. and if you can succeed in that, then you’re in with a good chance. there will always be the customers who don’t look for the point of sale online, but prefer to head into the city to find the point of experience. tv: the internet means people

can first do their research and selection at home, and they don’t want to be disappointed when they get to the store. because then the story would sell better online than in stores. a lot of people need to realise that they have to deliver a different kind of excellence on the shop floor in order to get the customers excited. but due to the systematisation of retail in the past 15 years, the quality has

gone downhill to a large extent — whether in terms of good multi-label ranges, excellent sales assistants or stories. what are the key factors of the shopping experience? tv: retailers have to surprise their customers with offers that they haven’t seen anywhere else — or at least not in that context. that’s so important. are the decision-makers already implementing changes? tv: I think that the seeds of change have already been sown in the cities. but the innovations and changes have to fall on fertile ground, of course — it’s time for the idealists to come in.

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PHoto: DIrk UHlenbrock

online retail versus stationary retail: what is the status quo? tobias viehoff: the growth rates of online business are intimidating offline retailers. the task is to deal with it. In the end, the stationary trade should come out stronger. customers don’t care so much about where they purchase the goods, but much more about what kind of an experience they have there.

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interviews

madeleine wellern

he a d of vis u a l merc ha ndisin g lodenf re y

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madeleine Wellern believes in the power of sensual shopping — and in brick-and-mortar stores that will succeed in luring customers away from the screens in the long run.

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will digital shopping soon outstrip sales in physical stores?

I think those who do well – regardless of whether at digital or the Pos – will continue to do well. the wheat will automatically be sorted from the chaff. and I don’t think we have reached the end just yet. many of my friends work in consulting and talk about women who would never shop from major online providers because it’s complete overload for them. It’s about finding the right balance and appealing to your custom-

ers in the place where they spend time. that’s why shopping needs to be an enjoyable recreational pastime – and the reason why stores like lodenfrey succeed. With good sales staff and well curated ranges.

We have been hearing the word “curated” so much lately – the stores make a pre-selection and that really appeals to people. I don’t believe that online providers will overtake stationary trade. because without something tangible, visual, something that you can touch and feel,

it won’t work. but, I think that both worlds can mutually enrich each other. how can you pull out all the stops to create a stimulating environment and make shopping an experience, or even an adventure? how do you see the future of pos in general?

I think that you simply have to find out about the living environment of the customer and apply it to a shopping environment. you need to spend more time figuring out what customers

want, what they do in private. most department stores are stuck somewhere at the end of the 80s. large retail space, marble floors, understaffed.

Hardly any experiential aspects.

I worked in Japan early on in my career, and if there was a presentation of, let’s say, strawberries – then there was a strawberry film to go with it, the matching strawberry jam, strawberry clothes by Valentino and maybe even a yoga class featuring strawberries. I think that’s the kind of direction you have to work in. so it's all about storytelling?

I’ve always presented products this way. If the story is right, the customers will buy.

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fitting, choosing the right size and last but not least customising is made easier with personalised 3D data

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e s s ay

the dawn of the digital future

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What new technologies will be coming onto the market in the next few years?

What will the customer of the future come to expect? How can retail — online and offline — adapt to the many uncertainties? much is unclear — the only thing we know for sure: Participation is better than waiting. online sales in fashion retail are still not being generated to that level from mobiles,” continues Hörig. “you could make it easy on yourself and say the customers clearly don’t want to do their shopping via mobile. but that is contradicted by the fact that zalando makes 70 percent of their revenue via their app.” since many classic web shops don’t work on mobiles, everything needs to be converted to mobile shopping: no matter which end device the customer uses to visit the web shop, design and function needs to adapt to the current format and the user situation.

new technologies: a divided market In the course of mobile shopping becoming the new default, the buying habits of consumers will change. Why is amazon so

popular and already surpassing the Google product search? because it is much more practical to search via the amazon app, than to click through the various providers on Google. those who want to succeed in terms of mobile retail need an app; that’s the common wisdom. but how many apps does a customer want to load on to their cell phone? the more brick-andmortar shops close, the more desktop users become dinosaurs, the fewer touch points remain, where the customer can meet, see and touch a brand at all. the current solution to this problem is therefore platform economics, which is nothing more than the bundling of product ranges. Whereas years ago you could afford to do without using zalando or amazon as a trading partner, this is changing massively. the question is no longer, “whether you want

about exp37 exp37 represents the seamless integration of the physical shopping experience with customer-oriented online services. Visitors to their Düsseldorf exp37 experience store will find an innovative, holistic no-line commerce concept where creative/communication agency mavis, consulting specialist tailorit and noteworthy partners showcase an out-of-the-ordinary shopping experience at Pos. exp37 helps brands and retailers to navigate their way through the digital transformation, with the goal of retaining customers and increasing turnover in the long term. exp37 strongly believes that the UsP of bricksand-mortar retail is still about the interaction of the customer with the brand – the whole multisensory experience.

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et’s start with a look at the phenomenon of the online store. a few years ago, everyone was saying without your own online shop, they’d be nothing doing. It was all about multichannel! so many manufacturers and retailers rushed to provide online shops including all the necessary back-end processes. and they spent a lot of money, in the illusory hope that they would be done for now. but it soon became clear that it wasn’t just a question of offering the same range online. many online stores still don’t break even, which is where we come to the next disaster: mobile shopping.

“In 2020, the desktop will be dead,” says Dirk Hörig, ceo and co-founder of commercetools, a leading provider of e-commerce solutions. everything is shifting to the smartphone. today, 81 percent of consumers have a smartphone, but “surprisingly,

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to work with online platforms, now it’s just a question of what form the cooperation will take,” is the sober conclusion of a recent study by the management consulting firm mckinsey.

Platforms are becoming the new hope. zalando, Galeria kaufhof and otto have now become platforms providing manufacturers and retailers with the option to sell their products for a commission. Dealers like engelhorn and sportscheck are taking this route too and opening up to other trading partners. the goal: to gain more relevance for the customer – the more in-depth the range, the more attractive.

In this way, products can be in-

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technologies are already in the starting blocks. and here the same applies: “selling shoes is not an art form anymore,” according to Dirk Hörig from com mercetools. “the core competency of retailers will be about knowing the wishes of the customers and being able to react in real time. the problem is not the goods that they need to sell, but understanding the customers.” artificial intelligence will assist retail in this. Under the keyword “Data Dress” Google and H&m presented an app in spring 2017 that puts together outfits based on personal user data. In order to do so, the app evaluates all the activities of

sales channels and services to be equally available, as well as different payment models. and if for example sportswear is just the vehicle for participation in a sports community, then the retailer needs to become a “meet“if you don't react to digitalisation, ing point for adventure sports” just as Jan kegelberg, chief you will fail — so you may as well Digital officer at sport-scheck, be brave and take advantage has in mind. and if young people like to use social media, then a of the change as an opportunity.” sales channel needs to be connected to that too. online fashdirk hörig, ceo commercetools ion retailer yoox has understood this and is betting on augmented reality: customers can try out accessories like handbags, tegrated and offered, that would the user over seven days and de- sunglasses and jewellery directly have had a low mark-up with the velops the “perfect wardrobe”, via the app and post it in the networks – just like the virtual classic shopping method. at least that’s the idea. as yet, the products aren’t tailor-made; cats ears on snapchat. thanks to sophisticated data goggles, everything is sourced from the be where ever the virtual shopping centres are also regular H&m collection. Google customer is is also cooperating with zalando. back on the table. “the customers are gods,” says the shift toward mobile shopamazon founder Jeff bezos. In ping is still in full swing, but one i talk, therefore i am the future, they will be the ones thing is for sure: these techdeciding much faster and more nologies are not the end of the completely new shopping ruthlessly about what they want worlds will evolve due to the inroad by a long shot. artificial to consume, how and where. intelligence (aI), virtual reality, tegration of language in the act meanwhile they also expect all augmented reality and voice of sale. the rise of alexa and siri

could soon make visually supported transactions (everything that shows on screen) redundant. thus, shopping will be possible everywhere: in the car, when exercising, in the shower. for fashion, the topic of voice is still not much of a threat, because here, visualisation and selection play a large role. but for the sale of everyday things, voice technology is the future. not for nothing does amazon also sell food. In this way, shopping becomes a side activity that eats away less at our time than before. on the other hand, shopping will become an event, or even an adventure, where emotions, service, community are celebrated and clearly have priority. this is the future of the stationary store – by the way, even if it is run by an online retailer. there will be an increasing number of these kinds of constellations – but especially online specialists will need to highlight even more clearly the emotional and haptic qualities and experiences in their brickand-mortar outlets.

PHotos: taIlorIt, maVIs

trying on a new look without any hassle is made possible with virtual dressing rooms

digitalisation Digital or physical touchpoints, where the customer can interact with the product, are important to the future of retail.

Digitalisation goes far beyond pure retail – it is transforming all areas of the fashion world and will bring many changes with regard to response times, production locations and quantities. collections are already being developed with caD, but only via detailed 3D simulations will the creation of prototypes or sample collections become superfluous.

It saves time and money, when cuts can be tried on with virtual sizes avatars, with animated colours, fabrics and patterns. that also helps the retail trade: one of the biggest problems of e-commerce is the extremely high rate of returns. at least the issues of fit could be dealt with if each individual piece of clothing had digital measurements available. then they could be matched with the body measurements of individual customers – who would get themselves scanned somewhere in advance. the manufacturers of such scanners like to prophesise scenarios

where soon every supermarket will have that kind of a scanner, like back in the days of passport photo machines. the step toward the truly personalised product, in which not only colour and details are customisable, but also the cut, is not far off. “mass customisation is the future, but is still in the market testing stages,” says chris nicolaes, managing Director at technology experts lectra Deutschland. In november 2017, lectra presented the new cutting room 4.0. With this fitting solution the economically viable production in batch size 1 should be possible for the first time. Until now, cutting the patterns was the bottleneck that prevented an economically viable conversion of single pieces/one-offs. It is also conceivable that – in the somewhat more distant future – we’ll no longer be talking about cutting or clothing. the 3D printer will simply print the clothing just as it should be worn on the body. once again the basis would be digitalised data. everything will

blend into one, with the online shop just the visible beginning of a comprehensive transformation. With the data collected, it provides the basis for the further expansion of digitalisation.

It’s what makes aI, programmatic advertising and individualised products possible in the first place. and that’s where we come back to the beginning: the transformation is enormous, as well as its speed. those that want to succeed must adapt constantly to the new and invest a lot. not everyone will be able to keep up with this. Dirk Hörig of commercetools tries to put a positive spin on it; “the risk is high anyway. If you do nothing, you will fail anyway, so you may as well be brave and take advantage of the change as an opportunity.”

What you need is a digital strategy, not just an It department.

dr regina henkel our guest author has been involved in the fashion business for many years. the trained dressmaker studied comparative textile science, business and art history at the University of Dortmund and, thanks to a grant from the Volkswagen foundation, wrote her dissertation on corporate fashion. she did a traineeship at the specialist magazine sportswear international, where she went on to work for several years as editor. since 2010 she’s been living near munich where she works as a freelance writer and specialist/academic author on the topics of fashion, sport, retail, digitalisation and csr.

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a feast for all senses text cloat gerold

the future of shopping: With its original, holistic concept, the bikini berlin mall is a beacon of inspiration for retailers everywhere. browsing the varied stores and pop-up boxes is also a real adventure for shoppers — with pleasant surprises guaranteed around every corner.

w

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bikini then and now

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built at the end of the 1950s, the mid-century architectural gem called zentrum am zoo, designed as a “showcase of the West”, was a popular shopping hotspot and meeting place in West berlin. after the reunification of Germany, the neighbourhood around the bahnhof zoo was no longer the focus of attention in a rapidly changing city. but with the reopening of the revitalised historic building ensemble in 2014, berlin’s city West is once again asserting itself as an attractive hub for shopping and socialising.

ith its two-part architecture that left the second floor as a seethrough empty space reminiscent of the popular new swimwear of the time, West berlin locals christened the main building of the brand-new zentrum am zoo “bikini” in the 1950s. the name has long since turned into a trademark – and while the empty second floor no longer exists following extensive refurbishment in 2014, the nickname makes more sense today than ever: the bikinihaus is not only an appealing mall, but architecturally also a beautiful space that is constantly surprising. It offers everything that the customer of today expects – experiences to remember, stories to be told to friends, exceptional shops, great food and spectacular views from

the rooftop garden, which was designed with new york’s High line park in mind.

panoramic views, 13 different cuisines from around the globe and two pop-up concepts now fill the generous space with appetising aromas. on the menu new sights every day are regional specialities from as well as being home to over Italy, Hawaii, korea, south africa, 25 fashion and accessory stores, Israel and mexico. the bikini berlin also conveys In addition to all these attracberlin’s experimental spirit with tions, the bikini berlin complex eleven so-called pop-up boxes: small presentation areas that can also includes the 25hours Hotel with its famous watering hole be rented for a temporary pemonkey bar on the top floor, the riod, allowing brands to test out new club 808 and the legendary new ideas. the result is a fabuzoo Palast cinema. lous space for aspiring young labels and designers, as well as a our conclusion: a day at bikini constant flow of changing prod- berlin is a day well spent – and if you’re up for it, it can even last ucts for regular customers. well into the night. shopping, culture, dining, drinking... what’s adding another highlight to not to like? the mall, the new kantini food market opened its doors to the public on 12 January 2018: in a light-flooded loggia with

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oversiZe

the oversize look is set to stay around for a while yet. close-ďŹ tting cuts were hard to ďŹ nd on the ss18 runways. Instead, designers indulged in sweeping or hanging shoulders or jackets and trousers with emphasised width and length. and while hands are disappearing into sleeves everywhere we look, the radical, casual and comfy oversize look, originally reserved for men, is meanwhile also being favoured by women.

inspirations street style

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XXl jackets and eXtreme baggy pants spotted in paris and london

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inspirations

decor

coach

calvin klein

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balenciaga

customisation-style: on the ss18 runways in milan and Paris, denims with extensive embroidery, patches, prints and even paintings made a big entrance. Whether owers, insects or elaborate art prints, there’s no limit to the imagination as far as the visuals are concerned... adam selman

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inspirations street style

lablename

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teaser

pimped up eye-catchers on the streets of london and paris

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inspirations inspirations alexander Wang teaser 71

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mix& m at c h

top-to-toe denim was subject to interpretation on the ss18 runways. models sported designs with multiple patches and lots of different two-tone versions.

Jackets, trousers, dresses and skirts were

made from individual pieces of various denim, as well as fabrics like velvet, leather and canvas. Vintage models are being deconstructed and remodelled with new cuts.

Just mix and match — and you’re ready to go!

inspirations street style

cleverly combined patchwork styles worn by fashionistas in milan, london and nyc

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lablename

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fashion

H O T Crosstown Bangkok

I N T H E C I T y PHotoGraPHy & stylInG heiKo laschitzKi

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HaIr & makeUP natalie lorence

replay levi'S JeWellery aSoS

replay amplified

HIm: troUsers

Her: JUmPsUIt

lonGsleeVe

backPack

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Sofie Schnoor p.e nation

troUsers

sWeater

cloSed tom ford

Glasses

baG boots

pieceS onygo

JeWellery

fashion

fashion

Jacket muStang troUsers muStang sHoes reeBok

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monki p.e nation

Jacket

toP

aSoS faShion nation

troUsers

belt sHoes

vagaBond gucci

Glasses

fashion

fashion

caumlaokam caumlaokam caumlaokam

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wrangler Sofie Schnoor belt levi'S

tommy hilfiger vagaBond

t-sHIrt

sHorts

kImono

sHoes

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sHIrt aSoS troUsers

muStang

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baG

cheap monday

Him: Polo fred perry

belt

wrangler levi'S

troUsers sHorts

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Her: toP mint&Berry

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paige aSoS

Dress

toP

sHoes

cheap monday deihcmann

troUsers

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moDels nalin & Kendo @ bass models

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Be rlin

PHotoGraPHy max von treu

stylInG alexander huber

on his way from new york to munich stylist alexander Huber stopped off in berlin to meet his old buddy max von treu. together with the renowned fashion photographer, he spent some time in the capital casting newcomer models and creating fresh looks that combine hip sportswear with high fashion.

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Jacket weekday sUnGlasses andy

wolf eyewear

left: t-sHIrt Supreme lIGHt Jacket carhartt Jacket & troUsers Bally right: t-sHIrt dieSel necklace cheap monday belt Saint laurent sHorts weekday socks nike sneakers converSe

fashion

alan

20 years

model sin c e 2017

agencies

instagram

anecdote

kult (hamburg, south africa)

@avhaygood

clients

pastimes

Zalando, aboutyou, Zalando lounge, kickz, Zumeo

basketball, spending time with friends, learning about new things

the funniest jobs are always with Zalando, also because they gave me my very ďŹ rst job. i know a lot of people working there and always have a great time with them. it's deďŹ nitely a fun environment to work in.

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stasia

fashion 25 ye ars

model sin c e 2011

agencies

instagram

anecdote

grace models (moscow), wonderwall (milan), m4 (berlin)

@smerechevska

clients

i really love travelling and meeting many new and talented people.

there's always something funny going on, once i even jumped with a parachute. at a shoot for a video clip i was simply told to do something crazy, i just loved it! i’m lucky because i’m doing what i love.

harper’s bazaar, vogue, marie claire, shone, vulkan magazine

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pastimes

left: toP h&m bloUse noBi talai troUsers mango sHoes marc JacoBS @nightBoutique.net right: sHIrt tiger of Sweden boDy wolford skIrt mango sUnGlasses andy wolf eyewear

left: t-sHIrt karl lagerfeld earrInG SwarovSki belt cloSed troUsers coS sHoes Santoni right: t-sHIrt valentin gautier cHoker SwarovSki bloUse Stine goya belt Saint laurent troUsers cloSed

fashion

winnie

19 ye ars

model sin c e 2016

agencies

instagram

anecdote

seeds management

@winnielizdeniz

clients

pastimes

thatboii, overkill, stantonstreetsports

spending time with people who make me happy.

at a shooting in 2017 the photographer wanted to make my face look really glowing, so he put lots of baby oil on my face. i ended up looking like a giant grease ball, haha.

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JoHn

22 years

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model sin c e 2014

agencies

instagram

anecdote

pma

@j.cleworth

clients

pasttimes

urban outďŹ tters, the kooples, harvey nichols, marie claire

making and listening to music

i did a shoot with a herd of alpacas — my favourite land animal. one more thing ticked off my to do list!

left: Jacket & troUsers kingS of indigo sHIrt Sandro Glasses andy wolf eyewear right: sHIrt Sandro tank toP coS troUsers kingS of indigo

left: sHIrt levi'S troUsers dieSel sHoes ludwig reiter right: Jacket cloSed Jeans vetementS x levi'S @mrporter.com

fashion

otto

23 years

model sin c e 2014

agencies

instagram

anecdote

m4, img (ny), new madison (paris), trafďŹ c (barcelona), d'men (milan)

@ottomatics

clients

drinking coffee and coming up with overly ambitious plans to not follow up on... and sports, reading, cooking, eating, drinking, sleeping

at a shoot for underwear – unfortunately taking place in the open in the midst of winter – all the models were literally freezing. after some time which felt like being exposed naked in siberia, somebody came up with the great idea of using hair dryers to warm us all up.

companies that generally make things to make you look good

pastimes

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Donata

fashion 21 ye ar s

model sin c e 2011

agencies

instagram

mega model agency, women (milan)

@donatabehr

clients

strolling around berlin's hidden places, travelling, museums, cinema, restaurants

vogue, i-d magazine, amica, valentino, versace

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anecdote i had tons of fun working for italian vogue. the shoot took place in a huge villa close to milan. i was wearing jewellery worth thousands of euros – that’s why we had like ten security guys on set. i felt like in a james bond movie.

right: Dress Sportmax earrInG viBe harSlof beret gucci@nightBoutique.net sUnGlasses andy wolf eyewear

left: Dress etro HooDIe cheap monday sUnGlasses andy wolf eyewear oVerknees Balenciaga @nightBoutique.net

10 questions

j'n'c t a l k

10 questions

bill kaulitz

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can we expect a new merchandise collection in 2018? absolutely. this is just the beginning! the new production has started.

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who are your style icons?

Prince, David bowie, annie lennox, steven tyler, Dave Gahan, freddie mercury…

tokio hotel

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your favourite designers?

I will always love Hedi slimane, which is why I like brands such as saint laurent and Dior Homme. at the moment I am a huge Gucci fan. balenciaga is fab too. you’ll also find smaller labels in my closet like Join chapter, ximonlee or Henrik Vibskov.

merchandise 2.0: tokio Hotel frontman bill kaulitz is also the designer for the band’s capsule collection. the resulting pieces are authentic, fashionable, and totally wearable. chief editor thorsten osterberger met him at the launch in berlin.

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with your brand’s new fashion line “magdeburg - los angeles” you bring together your old and new haunts. is la your current base? yes, for the past eight years. I feel a lot of freedom there. It’s the place where we’ve grown the most and where we’ve truly become who we are today.

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the design of your fashion collection is inspired by current streetwear trends. which labels do you like to wear personally?

Wearing the same labels over and over again or “total looks” from the runway turns you into a billboard in my opinion – that’s just really naff! fashion is a lifestyle – it’s important to combine different styles. some days I wear a $15 pair of jeans from topman and a $9 vintage t-shirt.

other times you’ll see me in a $10.000 outfit by saint laurent.

Generally, I prefer chic.

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what does your merchandise line stand for? the central theme is about the four of us. We represent different styles in the band as well as unisex sizes from xs – xxl. When I draft a new collection I always keep in mind what connects us. I wonder for example what is casual enough for Gustav to wear on the tour bus while still suitable for me to wear at fashion Week the following day. It’s a fun balancing act. the primary inspiration comes from our lyrics and band artwork because the fashion line is also our merchandise, although the idea behind it is to create something that’s also attractive to people who don’t even like the band. Design needs instinct.

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you’re famous for your eccentric party outfits. in your private life do you sometimes wear jeans, t-shirts and sneakers? if so, which brands? yes, though I don’t distinguish between the private person bill

and the one on stage. I remain myself and I love fashion no matter what I do. occasionally, you’ll see me in a leather jacket, adidas sweatpants and new balance.

Just never for more than 24 hours. It’s the change that keeps me alive. If I wear sweatpants for too long I’m just one person again. change it is!

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chains such as h&m tend to sell t-shirts branded with band labels as a bulk product. many music fans reject this. you’ve done it exactly the other way around and have turned band merchandise into fashion. who is your target group? at the beginning, mostly our fans – who are quite an assortment of personalities. We have ladies in their 70s and young people in their teens. In the long term, we’re aiming to extend the target group. at the store opening in berlin last november some people weren’t aware of our music at all. the other day I saw a girl wearing our baseball cap in berlin – I had a word with her. she had no clue it was a tokio Hotel cap – she liked the fact it said “High as fuck” on it.

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you launched the collection in berlin. how did it come to be in cooperation with the store? yes! our new album “Dream machine” was created here. We wrote the first song “boy Don’t cry” in berlin and the lyrics were a huge inspiration for the collection. my closest friends live here, which is why I wanted to have the official launch in berlin. I’m a huge fan of the store – when I told celia solf about the collection, we knew pretty quickly we’d work together.

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what is your opinion about influencers? have you been contacted by any fashion brands yourself? yes of course. I’ve done a lot for other brands. besides the money aspect I really have to like what they do, otherwise I wouldn’t go for it. With influencers it’s different. they are mainly just a new kind of model and their primary job is advertising. most of the times they neither have an image nor an outstanding personality.

It’s about increasing the amount of followers and sales. above all, I’m a singer and always want to get a message out.

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